Jess Robertson
LIVING THE DREAM
Each year in the cool-climate Grampians wine region, winemaker Jessica Robertson sets out to bottle a unique vineyard – one she aspired to work in for many years.
When Jess was studying viticulture and winemaking, she visited Mount Langi Ghiran on a uni excursion and fell in love with the place. So, landing a job there as winemaker years later was a dream come true. “I remember first driving around the corner and seeing the mountain and the vineyards,” she says. “It just had such a sense of place. It had a real feeling about it.” The winery is her favourite place to be, whether she’s crafting elegant Shiraz or something more experimental.
Showcasing the best of the Grampians
Jess’s love for the world of wine started when she was young, picking grapes with her mum in the Yarra Valley, near where they lived, and learning about wine from her dad who kept a small cellar under the house.
After graduating, Jess cut her teeth at Yarra Valley’s well-known Punt Road Wines and worked vintages in Germany, France and the US. She joined Mount Langi Ghiran in 2015 and her fascination with its vineyard and the entire Grampians wine region hasn’t waned.
“The most important thing for me as a winemaker is a sense of place and really showcasing where the wine is from – especially somewhere like Mount Langi Ghiran where it’s so unique,” she says.
Set between two mountains in Victoria’s stunning Grampians wine region, the vineyard produces some of Australia’s best cool-climate grapes. Along with the winery’s acclaimed Shiraz, Jess and Chief Winemaker Adam Louder craft a range of other vibrant wines. And they’re always exploring different styles and techniques.
Jess is especially excited about a small planting of Barbera – just two rows – that’s capable of producing delicious red wine when the season goes well. She’s also been experimenting with Riesling and Pinot Gris, to test the effects of fermenting the wine with the grape skins left on.
“As a winemaker, it’s always great to have a little bit of fun and play around and try a new technique on a small batch of something,” she says.
Whichever variety or wine style she’s working with, Jess is happiest when she’s getting her hands dirty.
“I love being hands on … and connected to the wine,” she says. “I love nothing more than to get out there, get my hands dirty, constantly tasting and seeing the evolution of the wines … It’s the love of what I do that continues to motivate me.”
“As a winemaker, it’s always great to have a little bit of fun and play around and try a new technique on a small batch of something.” – Jess Robertson
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